If you’re looking for a company that’s moving fast, look no further than Belgian software startup Powernaut. This week, the company raised €2.4 million to accelerate the energy transition away from fossil fuels by building the next generation of power plants.
The company develops orchestration software that manages millions of decentralised devices, such as electric vehicles, solar panels, batteries, and heat pumps for decentralised energy systems, enhancing energy efficiency for energy suppliers by integrating and managing flexible devices across their networks.
It’s a fast raise, considering Powernaut was only formed this year. Powernaut has already partnered with industry leaders to manage over 200MW of decentralised energy assets, such as solar panels, batteries, and electric vehicles. This is roughly equal to 80 wind turbines or enough to power approximately 40,000 homes.
Powernaut was founded by long-time friends Florentijn Degroote and Serge Morel, who shared a common vision for transforming the energy sector.
I spoke with co-founder and CEO Florentijn Degroote to learn more. According to Degroote, the intense rollout of renewables has brought increased uncertainty into our energy grids.
“It’s harder and harder to predict precisely how much energy will be injected into the grid as a result of renewables.
This has also resulted in unbalance within the grid when it used to be easy to match supply and demand, because supply and demand were stable.
Currently, it’s the total opposite. Supply is unstable because of wind and solar energy, yet demand is becoming more stable. The installation of complex assets such as electric vehicles and heat pumps has placed great demand on the grid.”
Traditionally, large centralised power plants generated electricity for everyone, but now millions of decentralised devices are generating and consuming power locally.
The European Commission predicts up to 10 million electric vehicle charging stations will be needed by 2030, along with more than doubling the current solar panel installations. This rapid growth in decentralised infrastructure presents significant challenges for energy suppliers and grid operators.
Our electricity grids weren’t designed for these new interconnections, and urgent changes are needed to support ongoing electrification and decarbonisation efforts.
Powernaut’s software helps energy suppliers manage this design shift by optimising millions of decentralised devices.
Rather than just focusing on local energy generation, it ensures these devices are integrated effectively with the wider grid, balancing local production with grid demands. This coordination enables energy suppliers to offer new, cost-effective solutions to consumers while eliminating dependence on fossil fuels.
The company’s virtual power plant (VPP) allows energy operators to maximise the value of their customers’ assets by unlocking their flexible potential.
Degroote explained:
“We predict granular energy consumption and production for individual households, creating a detailed baseline. Forecasting lets us anticipate a household’s energy needs over the next few hours. We can modify this consumption profile by influencing factors like electric vehicle charging times, optimising energy usage and its impact on the grid.
Scaling this approach across many households enables grid-level balancing. We validate our predictions by comparing the actual meter data to the original forecast.”
Further the virtual power plant connects easily to renewable energy resources, allowing users to manage their retail portfolio efficiently. The platform provides powerful predictions to refine trading strategies based on portfolio behaviour and flexibility.
As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, there’s an urgent need for flexible energy solutions.
According to Degroote, “Flexibility is crucial for maintaining grid stability, especially during severe weather events like storms that can rapidly change energy demand and supply across large regions.”
Powernaut’s software can stabilise the grid by adjusting energy supply and demand in real-time, even during unpredictable weather conditions.
Critically, users can optimise their portfolio by activating flexibility when needed, thereby reducing risk.
The funding round was led by Berlin-based Revent, joined by Seedcamp (London), Pitchdrive (Antwerp), and Syndicate One (Brussels). The fresh capital will support Powernaut’s mission to decentralise the energy sector and reduce reliance on fossil fuels entirely, all while lowering consumer costs.
“This investment comes at a perfect time,” said Henrik Grosse Hokamp, partner at Revent.
“Powernaut is providing the technology needed to support decarbonisation, renewable energy rollout, and decentralisation, ultimately phasing out polluting power sources like gas plants.”
Currently, Powernaut is focusing on the Belgian market but is looking to expand to the Netherlands, Benelux, and beyond.
Lead image: Powernaut. Photo: uncredited.